Author Archives: Douglas R. Satterfield
[June 16, 2016] In one of my last assignments as a senior Flag officer in the U.S. military, I had the unfortunate experience to be involved with a number of senior Flags who ignored serious Army issues. It was common knowledge that those officers believed that either nothing could be done or the problems were too complex for… Read More »
[June 15, 2016] When we speak of a hero, we normally think of someone who does something that requires great physical or moral courage … but that doesn’t always apply, especially in modern times. Since the beginning of time, animals have lived on the edge of starvation. One man, Norman Borlaug however made such a tremendous contribution to… Read More »
[June 14, 2016] Yesterday it was proposed that the world is serious about terrorism yet no country has taken decisive steps to really undermine the effectiveness of terror. Yes … terrorism works and is very effective. However, the lack of any coherent strategy to defeat the current wave of Islamic extremism is the primary reason used to justify… Read More »
[June 13, 2016] Yesterday morning a Muslim extremist opened fire inside a Florida gay club killing at least 50 people and injuring many more. Across much of the Western world, Islamic terrorism has steadily grown to a point that governments are now on notice to “do something.” That leads us to a crucial leadership question; are we serious… Read More »
[June 12, 2016] A good friend of mine, a colonel, spent over 30 years in the U.S. Army before he retired two years ago. Other than myself, the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, and the Secretary of the Army (yep, the two most senior Army leaders), there were few who attended his retirement ceremony. It was… Read More »
[June 11, 2016] After the December 7th, 1941 Japanese bombing of the U.S. base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii, several fact-finding commissions were formed to determine whether any targeted indicators were missed that would have forewarned of the impending attack. This included intelligence on Japanese military, economic, and political activity that pointed to Pearl Harbor and the propensity of… Read More »
[June 10, 2016] In the study of leadership and in an attempt to find the keys to success many look to elements of the best leaders; characteristics, behaviors, backgrounds, attitudes, etc. Yet, leadership is not only a complex concept but we all have our own ideas about what it is. One idea that has been bounced around is… Read More »
[June 9, 2016] In the 1960s, everyone in my high school class was intimately familiar with the war in Vietnam (and the military draft). The U.S. policy was based on a theory that predicted all of Southeast Asia would fall under the spell of Communism if Laos and South Vietnam fell to North Vietnam forces. Called the Domino… Read More »
[June 8, 2016] Legends about the Trojan War and the victory of the Greek Sparta armies over the Trojans were part of my upbringing and such tales fascinated me my whole life. As vividly written in the Latin poem Aeneid of Virgil and by historian Homer in the Iliad, the Trojan Horse was center stage of subterfuge that… Read More »
[June 7, 2016] I remember that day well; one of my junior soldiers came to me to ask questions about how he should deal with a problem sergeant. With my mindset of not telling people how to do their job but rather just giving tasks, I failed this young man because I failed to consider his suggested ideas. … Read More »